Good citizen awards
28 November 2008
LJMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Michael Brown joined Professor David Alton, Chair of the Foundation for Citizenship, to present a series Good Citizenship Awards.
Moni Akinsanya, LJMU's Equality and Diversity Officer received her award in recognition of her work in setting up an after school care project to assist BME working mothers in Toxteth. Moni was also involved in setting up a related computer project providing computer facilities for young people. Both initiatives were organised under the title of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry Project (DCLM Project), of which Moni is also Treasurer. She has also organised a number of women's conferences as well as counselling and resettlement activities for refugees and asylum seekers in Liverpool.
John Graham, Administration Manager in LJMU's Computing and Information Services team, received his award in recognition of his long standing links with the Air Cadet Organisation. The ACO is a national youth organisation sponsored by the RAF and is open to young people aged 13-20. John initially joined as a Civilian Instructor in 1987 and in 1988 received a commission in the Training Branch of the RAF Reserves. He was appointed Commanding Officer of 2137 (Lymm) Squadron a year later, transforming an ailing squadron into one with around 30 cadets and 4-5 staff. In 1995, John was promoted to Wing Staff Officer with responsibility for flying and gliding as well as retaining overall responsibility for a group of squadrons. He retired from uniformed service in 2001 but has remained in the ACO as a member of the Squadron Civilian Committee.
A Staff Citizenship Award was presented to Joan McLeod, a Customer Relationship Administrator in Student Recruitment and Widening Access, for her work in two volunteering projects: the Student Recruitment and Widening Access Team Challenge at St James Gardens, and the Toxteth Educational Trust assisting with the Community Museum and Reading Group.
A Staff Citizenship Award was presented to Captain Peter Woods, Simulator Manager at the Lairdside Maritime Centre, for his work in a number of voluntary organisations. He has been Secretary/Treasurer of the Merseyside Branch of the Sea Cadet Association for 10 years, which raises funds to support 18 sea cadet units. In the last financial year, the Branch raised £30,000, which enabled 108 cadets to go on a week's training on a brig, the 'Royalist', and a motor yacht, the 'John Jerwood'. Peter also has nine years service with the Rotary Club in Garston, and is currently serving as its Club President. He has also been a committee member of the North West and North Wales Branch of the Nautical Institute for 34 years and is a member of the Liverpool Parish Church's Parochial Church Council.
LJMU Student Citizenship Awards were presented a group of final year Adult Nursing students for their ingenious first aid training programme for Liverpool taxi drivers. Monica Humphries, Ray Hollis and Ruth Hall helped launch the pilot scheme as part of capital of culture celebrations. They delivered a talk about the short course at Royal College of Nursing international research conference and this inspired them to organise their own conference for LJMU nursing students, attracting around 200 delegates. The trio are also active student reps, amongst LJMU's first Student Mentors and are involved in Aim Higher.
Two LJMU Good Citizenship Awards, sponsored by Liverpool Consular Corps, were also presented during the event. Nunzia Bertali and Dr Ulrich Pfeiffer from the Italian and German Consular Corps (pictured below) presented the prizes.
Katie Rockliffe from Roscoe Primary School received her award in recognition of her fundraising work for two churches in Malawi that needed new roofs. She took part in a 3km race in Waterloo and raised £130. Katie also supported Operation Christmas Child and is the proud owner of ten chickens through Oxfam Unwrapped.com.
Faye O'Brien, Robyn Riley and Fergus Tanton from Maricourt Catholic High School, received an award of behalf of the whole sixth form which raised money to buy a boat for the people of Lake Turkana in Kenya. The School is now committed to extending the 'Float a Boat' appeal, and are hoping to raise enough money to buy another boat. Other fundraising activities enable pupils to go to Lourdes, working with the HCPT Pilgrimage Trust, a collaboration which stretches back some 20 years. The sixth formers also support the Operation Christmas Child campaign and raise funds for local charities, such as Zoe's Place, Jospice and L'Arche.
